Television: A Distortion of Reality Television has become a false reality for millions of Americans and the majority of the global society. “The use of television to promote primarily materialistic values has become a severe, although largely unacknowledged, mental health and public health problem for the United States and the world” (Elgin 105). Duane Elgin speaks about the impact of television on the youth of our nation and how it is “being used to promote mindless consumerism around the planet” (Elgin 104). The negative effects of television are clear, and the reality is that this communication device is changing the important values of the global youth. The lucid shift in values has been from developing a meaningful philosophy in life to being well-off financially.
Sue Palmer is another sociologist that believes the increasing impact of technology and the media over the past 50 years is causing childhood to deteriorate. Palmer argues that in modern society there is a ‘toxic childhood’ due to an excessively screen-based culture which she feels is why there has been an increase in developmental conditions in children. She has reasons for some of these conditions, for example ADHD could be caused to screen saturation as the rapid changes of images on TV can make an immature brain go into overdrive resulting in the child seeing real life as boring. Palmer also believes the increase in screen-based activities has made it more difficult for children to develop literacy skills. Also Palmer
According to the University of Michigan Health Systems website, children 2-5 spend an average of 32 hours per week in front of a TV. Children ages 6-11 spend an average of 28 hours a week watching television (2010). With that much exposure surely it has major effects on unknowing youth. Children are impressionable and immature with a limited capacity to make sound logical decisions. Add to that the crushing force of a multitude of multi-national companies all trying to push their product on the most vulnerable members of our society, and a major ethical problem with long lasting consequences appears.
Neil Postman believes our society is closer to Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World than George Orwell’s 1984 because of our society’s addiction to television. Huxley feared that no one would want to read books and that people would become passive and egotistical. He dreaded the day that the truth would carry little power and pleasure and love would control the public. Huxley’s worries become terrifying realities when one observes how much television has overtaken the American people’s lives. Ridiculous television statistics, youth corruption, and the need for “TV Turnoff Week” prove that television is an evil.
Childhood Obesity Majority of children in today’s society are decreasing the time spent in physical activities as they are spending more time playing video games and watching TV. Due to their sedentary behavior they are increasing the level of excessive body fat to their weight (Whitker, Robert). This issue of childhood obesity has become an epidemic in America. The Colorado University research shows that within last couple of decades the obesity level among children and adolescent has doubled (P. Kendall). The increase in excessive body fat leads to serious health problems such as high blood pressure, type two diabetes, and other serious health risks (Estarbrooks, Paul).
Finally, illegal substances are supported, such as marijuana and cocaine, through comedic gestures. The criteria used for social humour in these sitcoms are politically incorrect and are unacceptable forms of humour. Most of the audience that watches “rude TV”, such as Family Guy and American Dad, are at too young of an age to be responsible and mature enough to watch the shows. A lot of them will get influenced negatively; they will be convinced to learn the ill manners and shamelessness supported in the shows, because they are thought to be humorous, the coarse language is taken lightly as well teaching the audience to use it as well to be humorous. The Parents Television Council released a list of the 20 most popular shows among kids from ages 2-17.
But apparently the networks disagree because they keep making more and more reality shows. I personally think Jersey Shore is the worst. To be honest, the reality tv craze makes me sick. It makes me sick to think that instead of coming home and watching an intelligent, well done show, with heart like “House” people are choosing to watch these shows that I swear are deteriorating their brain cells. It is just lunacy, there is no other way to describe it.
In analyzing Dr. Grohol’s article, “The Debilitating Effects of TV on Children”, the main purpose is to portray the harm that watching television has on children during their childhood and the effects throughout their future. He argues that television is an unhealthy activity by comparing it to cigarette smoking, which is a harmful activity that society continues to whitewash. What is worse is that children are exposed to it as if it were as innocent as playing with their toys. Grohol, J. (2009).
After watching Stupidity directed by Albert Nerenberg, Stupidity exposes many conflicts on why people are so stupid and how they are “too dumb” to research the true facts before speaking their mind out to the public. Stupidity features interviews of the average people on what stupidity means to them. According to the film, the main reason why people are stupid is mostly for entertainment. People want to do the craziest things they can possibly do so that they can see their face come on the morning news. The media has a huge control on what is being watched on television.
However what had formerly been viewed as a charity program aimed at helping helpless mothers, and females, was now being seen as a waste of time and money. America’s increasing economic problem caused great resentment toward welfare programs and to their recipients. White middle class America did not like the ideas of their tax money going to support other, especially when many of the white middle class had full time jobs. Nationalized reports of welfare fraud were all it took to convince the middle class that all welfare recipients were lying and cheating the system. Americans who felt overtaxed had something to blame it on now the more they resented welfare the worse the stereotype became, soon they were all drug users, who never intended to work just live off welfare, and the only reason that their children were starving is that they were spending the money on other things.